Commodity package



Feb. 14, 1933. J. M. DE VOE 1,897,692

COMMODITY PACKAGE Filed Aug. 9, 1952 IN V EN TOR. \/0///v A4. 15 V05Mom? Patented Feb. 14,. 1933 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE JOHN M. DE VOE,OF GBEENWICH, CONNEGITCUT, ASSIGNOR TO UNITED STATES TOBACCO COMPANY,OF-NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY COMMODITY PACKAGEApplication filed. August a, 1932. Serial No. 628,083.-

My present invention relates to an improved commodity package, and moreparticularly to a commodity package of theclass that requires a revenuestamp, such for instance as a package of tobacco. I

An object of the present invention 1s to provide a package of the classstated that will keep the commodity in a fresh condition for aconsiderable length of time, and one that may be produced entirely bymachlnery and at relatively low cost.

Another object of the invention is to provide a package that is not onlyattractive in appearance but is moisture-repellant, and the seal ofwhich may be easily broken when access thereto is desired.

A still further object is to enclose such a package within an outercontainer or enclosure having a slip or hinged cover, with a free end ofa, fold of the outer wrapper positioned between the walls of theenclosure and the slip cover and with a portion projecting and solocated that it may be readily graspe when the cover is removed to aidin raising or removing the package from the enclosure and in breakingthe seal and opening the same.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a package of theclass described wherein the revenue stamp is at all times visi- 39 bleand so applied as to assist in maintaining thepackage in closedcondition, but which cannot be opened without breaking the stamp, thuscomplying with the internal revenue laws.

, So far as I am aware, I am the first to provide atobacco package ofthe character stated, and wherein the stamped package is wholly enclosedwithin an outer container. In'all previous enclosed packages of thisclass, the revenue stamp has invariably been attached to thef outercontainer, and not to the package itsel In order to enable others tounderstand and construct my improved package, I will now proceed todescribe the same in detail, reference being had for this purpose to theaccompanying drawing, wherein 1 is a perspective view illustrating oneorm of my new commodity package.

Fig. 2 is a perspective view 0 the upper oval-shaped pac portion of theackage with the lid of the outer container t rown open and the packagepartially withdrawn from the container and showing also the outer foldsof the outer wrapper at the upper end of the package broken open.

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the completed package removed from theouter container.

Fig. 4 is a vertical sectional view of the package, the outer containerbeing shown in dotted lines.

Fig. 5 is a transverse sectional view taken on the line 5-5 of Fig. 1.

I have illustrated and will describe the invention as applied to arelatively flat or age, such as a package of tobacco adapted to fit intothe pocket of the user although it will be apparent that the inventionmay be embodied in packages of other shapes and sizes.

In constructing the package, the commodity, such as tobacco, indicatedby the reference number 10, is enclosed within an inner wrapper sheet12, the free ends of which are overlapped on one of the fiat walls ofthe package, as more clearly shown in Figs. 3 and 5. The innerwrapper-sheet 12, is preferably composed of flexible paper or othermaterial which may or ma not be moistureproofed in any approve way. Thefree edges of the inner wrapper at the ends of the package are foldedinwardly in any approved way, as by the usual gusset folds, and

said ends are then countersunk as shown at 13, to provide an annularoutstanding ridge 14, at each end of the package. When the ends ofthepackage are countersunk as shown and described, it is not necessary toadhesively unite the infolded portions 'of the wrapper because thecounter-sinking o ration and the formation of the annular ridges tend toso crease and crimp the material of the sheet that the ends of thepackage will remain closed until opened up by'hand.

In order to seal the package as required by the internal revenue laws, Iadhesively apply a long revenue stamp 15, longitudinally of the package,said stamp extending over the overlapping ends of the wrapper, on a flatwall of the package as shown, and the opposite ends 16 of the stampbeing crimped over a portion of the annular ridge and adhesively unitedto the infolded countersunk ends of the package. This construction notonly seals the folds but makes it necessary to break the stamp and theseal before the package can be opened, all as required by the revenuelaws.

In order to make the package moisturerepellant and to retain theenclosed commodity in a fresh moist condition for a con siderable lengthof time, I apply thereto an outer wrapper sheet 17, of a transparentmoisture-proof material such as that known on the market as cellophane.This outer wrapper is applied over the revenue stamp, but the latter isreadily visible therethrough because of its transparency. The foldedportions of the outer wrapper at the ends of the package are alsocountersunk as shown, and the overlapping unfolded portions are sealedor united by a method or composition suitable for the purpose. Due tothe fact that the act of countersinking the infolded portions of theouter wrapper crimps or creases the same, the countersinks remainpermanently until the ackage is opened by lifting the folds and reakingthe seal.

When placed upon the market the pack age is preferably enclosed withinan outer container 18, usually of tin, said container having a flangedor slip cover 19, which is generally hinged along one of its flat sidesas shown at 20.

In order to facilitate the removal of the wrapped package from the outercontainer 18, and to assist in breaking the seal of the outer wrapper, Iprovide the outer fold 21 thereof at one end of the ackage with anextension or tongue 22, whlch extends over and beyond a portion of theannular ridge at that end of the package, and when the latter isinserted into the outer container, this extension or tongue 22, isbrought over the upper edge of the container at that fiat wall oppositethe hinge 20, so that when the cover is closed down as shown in Figs. 1and 4, the tongue 22 will not only be held between the wall ofthe'container and flange of the cover, but will project below the coverflange, so that when the cover is raised to open position the tongue maybe readily grasped by the fingers to lift the package from thecontainer, andto assist in breaking the seal that unites the foldsthereof in order to get at the folded portions of the inner wrapper andopen them up to gain access to the commodity, such as tobacco.

The package of the present invention has proved to be a great commercialsuccess since placed upon the market, and is unique because of its innerand outer wrappers, both of which are countersunk at both ends of thepackage; because of the manner of applying the revenue stamp, andbecause of the provision of the finger-grasping tongue which projectsfrom between the cover and the upper end of the outer container for thepurposes described.

" I am aware of the fact that a wrapped package having its endscountersunk, is not new, but I believe I am the first to provide such apackage with a revenue stamp applied as described, and wherein the saidpackage is enclosed within an outer wrapper of transparent materialwhich is also countersunk at the ends of the package for the purposesstated, and also wherein the outer wrapper is provided with a tonguewhich projects from between the walls of the flanged cover and an outercontainer to accomplish the decidedly new results herein described.

What I claim is:

1. A wrapped commodity package, including a quantity of the commodityenclosed within an inner wrapper, the opposite ends of which are foldedinwardly 'at the ends of the package and said ends countersunk toprovide an annular marginal ridge, a revenue stamp extending lengthwiseof the package and having its opposite ends overlying and sealing thesaid infolded ends of the wrapper at the ends of the package, and anouter wrapper of transparent moisture-resistant material completelyenclosing the outer wrapper including the revenue stamp which is visibletherethrough, said outer wrapper having its ends infolded at theopposite ends of the package with the said in- -folded portions pressedinto the countersunk ends and the overlapping folded portions of thecountersunk ends of the outer wrapper being adhesively united except asto the free end of the outer fold at one end of the package which freeend extends over the ridge surrounding the countersunk end and projectsbeyond the ridge providlng a finger-graspin portion to assist 1nbreaking the union between the adhesively umted folded portions of theouter wrapper at sald end of the package.

2. The commodity package as defined 1n claim 1 enclosed within an outercontainer having a movable flanged cover, and wherein the free end ofthe outer wrapper of the package extends over the upper edge of theouter container and under the flanged cover with the said free endprojecting to be grasped by the fingers or the purposes stated. I

Signed at New York in the county of New York and State of New York this8th day of August, A. D. 1932.

- JOHN M. DE VOE.

